Eesti kunsti oksjonid

Linocut on paper. 1958.
Signature: “Kaluri käed” (linoollõige) / I TORN 58

Ilmar Torn’s (1921-1999) “Fisherman’s hands” is one of the signature works of all Estonian graphic art, which made the artist instantly famous in 1958. In interviews, Torn admitted even years later: “Strangely enough, this first large-format graphic page of mine opened the door for me into the so-called great Estonian art and has remained a landmark work for both me and the history of Estonian graphic art, which has so far withstood the test of time and has also been one of the signs of the arrival of a new stage in Estonian graphics.” (quoted from Ilmar Torn’s 2021 memorial exhibition in Kuressaare).

The then-popular linocut was also practiced by Avo Keerend, Richard Kaljo, etc. The reason for this is the ability of this technique to create works with strong expressiveness, which was favored by the era. In the case of this work, the artist used himself as a hand model – Torn was an islander, after all, and his powerful hands were well suited to represent the local sailors. However, the hands tightly holding the wooden oar became a symbol of the work in a much broader sense. The water surface sparkling in the moonlight adds drama to the print and helps to amplify the artist’s message.

The work is also part of the collection of the Art Museum of Estonia and has been featured in countless exhibitions.

Text: Katre Palm